Roger Mason on the way out?

[the southern dandy]

The Spurs are trying to work out a trade to send Roger Mason out, as per his own request.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=y ... &type=lgns

I could see this coming but I can't say that I'm not disappointed. I'm a big fan of Roger's game and laid back personality. Hopefully the Spurs can trade for something of equal value.

[batmana]

I'm not sure what we'll be looking for in that trade but I feel we should ask a first-round pick from a lottery team. We are deep enough and it would be difficult to incorporate another rotation player (unless we're talking about an impact player which I don't think is the case). Plus, we have that final roster spot to add a free agent before the playoffs. If Roger is gone, I feel I have to say he won our hearts over last season and even the struggles didn't hurt his image with us. I was hoping he stays but if he's going away, I wish him all the best.

[Donald Kaufman]

Disappointing. I was hoping they'd find more minutes for him this year. He should get all of Fin's minutes and maybe even some of RJ's at the 3 spot.

[co_laper]

The good thing is that out of our SGs (Manu, Bogans, Mason, Finley), Mason probably has the most value being that he's the youngest and is an expiring.

Personally, I'm not a fan.

Asking for a draft pick from a lottery team? No way. 2 things.

First, you're asking for a lottery pick for a 30 year old shooter? I can understand if Mason is in his early 20s and still has so much upside. He's 30. At this point, Mason will have more value to a playoff team than to a lottery team.

Second, he's an expiring. Whoever trades for him risk the possibility of him leaving after the year. I won't trade away a lottery pick for that. Maybe a late first round pick or a second round pick, but certainly not a lottery pick.

I'm not disappointed at all.

[batmana]

Well, it was probably wishful thinkiing to ask for a lottery pick but we can just let him expire with us, can't we? I mean if a team wants him badly, our price should be a first round pick. Let's remove the "lottery" tag, any first-round pick (after all I don't think we'll send him to the Lakers or Cavs so it won't be the 30th pick). That's what I think.

[co_laper]

Reading the article, it says the Spurs are just trying to do the right thing for Mason and that's to find him a place where he can have a bigger role.

What continues to baffles me really is that Mason seems to think he's an above average SG in this league because to me he's a shooter, a specialist, a role player. His role is what he's currently getting. A 15-20 minute role as a backup SG. But it certainly looks like he's thinking he should be a starting SG getting 30 minutes like he did last year.

The question for Mason is, where exactly does he think he can get that kind of role on another team?

To a lottery team, they'd prefer to develop a young SG for the future. Put him on the worst team in the league (NETS) and they won't give Mason 30 minutes and a starting role.

To another title contender, there's no team so bad at SG where he will get 30 minutes and a starting role.

Even to a borderline playoff contender, I don't see a team so bad at SG that it makes sense for them to need Roger Mason as a 30 minute starter.

Mason thinks too highly of himself IMO. I prefer he spend his offseason working on other parts of his game instead of losing some weight and staying lean or whatever. Obviously, he expected to get as much minutes as last year. I think he forgot how he got those minutes. Injuries.

[Nolan]

I really wish things would have worked out for him better this year, but I don't blame him for wanting out the minutes just are not there for him.

Hopefully we can get something of valuable back for him. We could really use a center.

[co_laper]

I'm surprised at how "right on the money" the rumors are from ESPN. They reported that Mavs deal before it happened and now the Camby deal too.

Anyways, so far the rumors of Mason involves the heat. That's also not a place where Mason gets starting job or 30 minutes a game. Their weakness is at SF where Quentin Richardson now place exclusive minutes at that position. It was said that Riley had a thing for Mason and went after him hard two years ago.

If he does get moved to the heat, I sure hope we get Haslem in return. Beasley is out of reach and there's no way we can make the salary work for Jermaine O'neal. A deal of possibly Matt Bonner and Roger Mason for Udonis Haslem works. Fix our logjam at SG and upgraded our frontline. Miami gets Mason and replace Haslem for Bonner if they really like Mason that much. Miami will have to get a big man back otherwise it's Beasley, O'neal and I don't know who else over there.

[Blame Rasho]

I think he is a goner now...

[co_laper]

So we almost traded Mason for Trade Exception and a second round pick. Thank god that didn't go thru. In a season where almost every team above us is making a trade to upgrade their talent, we nearly made a trade where we downgrade our talent. Had the Spurs made that trade, I think that's a blow to every player on this team. To me, it certainly will feel as if the FO has given up on this season.

[SApuro_]

I feel the FO has given up and I dont blame them. This group has under performed big time. Problem is who is going to take RJs contract..no one. Who is going to take Dice's contract...no one. We are most likely stuck with what we have.

[co_laper]

RJ and Dice will have a lot more value next year as an expiring contract. I hope it's not too late and we decide to upgrade our talent (again) using those contracts instead of blowing the whole team up.

[Donald Kaufman]

If RJ and/or Dice showed up for games, their trade value would be higher - but we'd no doubt have a better record. As it stands they've produced nothing and we're seemingly stuck with them.

Silver lining - we're only a game back from Dallas and a guaranteed top 4 seed.